Northwestern Africa, Algeria / Morocco, Acheulean (Lower Paleolithic), ca. 1.2 million to 500,000 years ago. This is a large and remarkable hand-knapped stone tool that functioned as a hand axe. The bifacially-flaked body has an elongated profile with a rounded proximal end, partially incorporating the natural curve of stone as a grip and the tapered, chopping tip is perfectly preserved and is complete and unbroken. The dark and smooth "desert varnish" surface is from millennia of exposure to the elements and sand. The Acheulean stone tool tradition - named after the location in France where tools of this kind were first identified in 1847 - represented a technological revolution. This blade was likely manufactured by homo erectus, a close ancestor of modern humans, and was made to be used in a variety of tasks, such as cutting, digging, and scraping hides. It is always thrilling to hold such ancient artefacts and imagine our prehistoric ancestors using these tools! Size: 6.25" L x 3" W (15.9 cm x 7.6 cm)
Provenance: private J. Hart collection, Houston, Texas, USA; ex-Michelle Vandendries collection, Mauretania, 1992
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#167671
Condition
Minor nicks to peripheries, otherwise intact and excellent. Beautiful smooth patina and coloration.